Folding chair



June 7, 1938.

H. o. MEARKLEI FOLDING CHAIR Filed March 29, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l June7, 1938. H. o. MEARKLE FOLDING CHAIR Filed March 29, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Patented June 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v 2,120,183

FOLDING CHAIR Harland 0. Mearkle, Sharon Hill, Pa., assignor toPhiladelphia Screen Mfg. Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation ofPennsylvania Application March 29, 1937, Serial No. ream 2 Claims.

The present invention comprehends a folding adjustable backarm-chairwhich may be folded .or set up by a single relative movement of itscomponent parts and which when folded occupies a minimum amount ofspace.-

Another object of the invention is to provide a chair of thecharacter'set forth having novel means for effecting adjustment of theback support at will.

A further feature of the invention resides in the comparatively simpleconstruction of the chair, the economy with which it may be produced andthe ease with which it may bet set up or folded and adjusted.

These and other objects and features of the invention and the details ofconstruction thereof are set forth hereinafter and shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a folding adjustable back arm-chairmade in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a detached fragmentary view in perspective illustratingcertain structural details of the chair;

Figure 3 is a view in section vertically through the chair, and

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic fragmentary view illustrating the positionsand movement of the back support and associated elements when adjustedfrom reclining to sitting position.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral Idesignates a pair of front legs which are connected together adjacenttheir lower or bottom ends by means of a strut or brace 2. The frontlegs I are pivotally connected to the side frame members 3 of the seatframe outwardly thereof as indicated by reference numeral 4, and theupper extremities of said front legs I are pivotally connected as at 5to arm rails 6 which are in turn pivoted to rear side upright members 1as indicated at 8.

A pair of rear legs 9 have their upper forward ends pivotally connectedto the front legs I by the previously mentioned means indicated byreference numeral 4 and these rear legs 9 decline rearwardly of thechair a suflicient distance to give a broad firm support thereto andalso to support the rear side uprights l the lower ends of which restupon said legs 9 and are connected thereto by means of links I pivotedadjacent their opposite ends to said rear uprights l and rear legs 9respectively.

The seat frame is supported at the rear of the chair by means of abraceor strut which connects between the rear uprights .l, the side framemembers 3 of said seat frame merely rest upon said strut or brace II andhaveino positive or other connection therewith. A front transverse,

member '12 connects the forward ends of the side members 3 of the seatframe and a rear transverse member |3 connects between the rearward endsof said side members 3, this rear member l3 being located rearwardly ofthe uprights I and provided with laterally projecting portions orelements I 4 at opposite ends thereof which extend into the path of saiduprights l and function as supports therefor when the chair is set up asshown in Figure 1 of the drawings,

A back support having side and top frame members l5 and I6 respectivelyis pivotally connected adjacent the lower ends of said side framemembers l5 to the side members 3 of the seat frame as indicated byreference numeral l1 and these same side frame members l5 are furtherconnected to the upper ends of the uprights l by means of links l8pivoted at their opposite ends to said uprights l and side frame membersI5 respectively as at 8 and I 9 to permit said back support to beadjusted to either a reclining or sitting (upright) position withrespect to the seat frame and chair structure.

To adjust the back support from say, for example, reclining to sitting(upright) position, the back structure including the side frame membersI5 is lifted or raised upwardly, carrying with it the seat frame whichis raised from its position of rest upon the brace or strut H to theposition shown in dot and dash lines in Figure 4 of the drawings, andcausing the uprights l to approach a vertical position likewise shown indot and dash lines in said Figure 4. As these elements of the chairassume the aforementioned relative positions, the back support and itslinks l8 are swung in a clockwise direction with respect to the drawingsabout the pivot 8 to a position forwardly of the uprights 1 until theseat frame again resumes its position upon the strut H and the uprightsI assume their normal position shown in solid or full lines in Figure 4,the back support and links [8 ultimately assuming the position shown indot and dash lines in Figure 3, and in dotted lines in Figure 4. Thesame operation takes place when adjusting the back support from sittingor upright position to resupport and links 18 are swung in acounterclockwise or rearward direction with respect to the figures inthe drawings.

In use with the chair in a set-up position, as shown in Figure 1 of thedrawings, when it is desired to collapse or fold the same, it is merelynecessary to grasp the front transverse member l2 of the seat frame andthe top frame member N3 of the back support structure and swing or pivotthese members and their associated structure toward one another. Insimilar manner, when the chair is folded, opening or setting up thereofis accomplished by grasping said members l2 and I6 and relativelyseparating them and their associated structure as far as possible, theprimary folding action taking place about the pivots I! in both thefolding and setting-up operations.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been set forth hereinfor descriptive purposes, it is not intended that said invention shallbe precisely limited thereto but that modifications and changes may beincorporated and embodied therein within the scope of the annexedclaims.

I claim:

1. In a folding chair, a. pair of front legs, a pair of rearwardlydeclining rear legs pivotally connected to said front legs, a. pair ofrear uprights arrangedto rest upon said rear legs for support when thechair is set up, arm rests pivotally con- 2,120,183 clinin'g positionwith the exception that the back nected to the front legs and uprights,members movably connecting said uprights and rear legs, a transverseelement connecting the uprights, a back support structure, a seatstructure pivotally connected to the front legs and said back supportstructure arranged to rest upon said transverse element for support whenthe chair is set up, and other members adjustably connecting the backstructure and the rear uprights to permit the former to be swungrelative to the latter between two positions disposed respectively at anangle to each other and said seat structure.

2. In a folding chair, a pair of front legs, a pair of rearwardlydeclining rear legs pivotally connected to said front legs, a pair ofrear uprights arranged to rest upon said rear legs for support when thechair is set up, arm rests pivotally connected to the front legs anduprights, members movably connecting said uprights and rear legs, a backsupport structure, a seat structure pivotally connected to the frontlegs and said back support structure, means for supporting the rear ofsaid seat structure when the chair is set up, and other membersadjustably connecting the back structure and the rear uprights to permitthe former to be swung relative to the latter between two positionsdisposed respectively at an angle to each other and said seat structure.

HARLAND O. MEARKLE.

